Share this on:

Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.

Summer is absolutely burger and ribs season. Still, pizza is big in the news right now. For one thing, it was among the last meals that the on-the-run whistle-blower Edward Snowden ate in Hong Kong before he split.

Whether or not that’s true outside the Charleston bridge episode, there are a lot of awesome new pizza spots out there. Here’s a handy guide.Pig Ate My Pizza - Robbinsdale, Minnesota
This brand-new spot outside Minneapolis has a compelling name, and funky, chewy-crusted pies such as Mussels from Brussels (mussels, brussels sprouts and chorizo; there’s a bowl of mussel broth on the side for dipping). Raucous chefs James Winberg and Mike Brown add garlic oil directly to the dough of their Margarita pie, and serve bacon Cracker Jacks as a before-dessert snack. “We’re fat and we love pizza,” Brown told the Minneapolis Star Tribune when asked why they opened the restaurant.

Pizzeria Locale - Denver, Colorado
Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson makes an outstanding tangy crust, then cooks it in a ridiculous pizza oven with a revolving floor. Each individual Neapolitan-style pie spends exactly two minutes rotating through the oven, as it gets blasted with heat.

There’s a section of Neapolitan classics (the Mailale has sauce, mozzarella and prosciutto crudo); American classics such as pepperoni; and build-your-own, with toppings like artichokes and smoked prosciutto. Depending on how fast you choose your toppings, it could be the best three-minute pizza you’ll ever eat.

Seabright - Camden, Maine
There are only a handful of pizzas on the menu at chef Brian Hill’s place on the water. He calls his pies “vaguely Neapolitan,” and goes in for some unconventional options like chili crab with tomato sauce, house mozzarella and two types of hot chiles; plus sausage and fennel with Romano and whipped lemon cream. Besides rotating pizza specials (cherrystone clam), Hill makes special cocktails like the Suffering Bastard - a mix of rums, almond syrup and blood orange juice.

Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria - Lone Tree, Colorado
A two-ton, wood-fired brick oven imported from a small factory in Florence all the way to Colorado makes the magic happen here. Frank Bonanno’s menu boasts crudos like cured salmon with mascarpone, and frittos like calamari and peppers. Margherita pies are a sweet $5 at happy hour; the lobster fra diavolo pizza - poached lobster, ricotta, garlic - is more indulgent, all the way around, at $23.

Stella Barra - Hollywood, California
You might have eaten a Stella Barra pizza before, in Santa Monica; now there’s a second location. Chef Jeff Mahin has an interesting background—he’s been a lab assistant at the UK’s The Fat Duck and was on the Tony Bourdain-hosted ABC show The Taste. Stella Barra options include the prosciutto and farm egg with mozzarella, Gruyère and a sunny-side up egg. The signature pie is the L.A.-appropriate Thin Sin: an extra-thin crust pizza with changing daily toppings.

A16 Rockridge - Oakland, California
Dishes here are based on things you might find in the seaside areas through which Italy’s A16 highway runs. Chef Rocky Maselli makes pizzas in a Stefano Ferrara wood-burning oven that’s so hot, pies take only 90 seconds to cook. The Oakland menu has a few different options from what’s offered at A16’s flagship San Francisco location, including the Montanara Rockridge (lightly fried dough, smoky tomato sauce, burrata and basil) and the Rachetta (artichokes, green olives, basil, ricotta and pecorino).

Pizzeria Vetri - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The first pizza-centric restaurant from star chef Marc Vetri is inspired by the success of the thin-crust pies at Osteria. He’ll sell wood-fired pies including quattro formaggi, and house specials such as a rectangle pizza of the day.

soundoff(228 Responses)

Jim Dunbar

You should be a part of a contest for one of the greatest websites online. I am going to highly recommend this web site!

http://www.poweropen.org

June 21, 2014 at 11:41 pm |

Oscar V

The Best Pizza I have tasted is in Simi Valley. There is a new place that opened up last week. It's called "The Don's Pizzeria" They make their pizza with fresh vegetables and it tastes amazing!!! It's off of Cochran and Madera.

August 12, 2013 at 10:51 pm |

William Howard

I live in Oakland and I have driven the entire length of the A16 Motorway in Italy. This Autostrada, known as the Autotrade dei Hue Mare, connects Naples (starting inland from the Mediterranean Coast) to Canosa (ending inland from the Adriatic Coast). A16 will take you swiftly from coast to coast but it is an inland route all the way and certainly does not run through any seaside areas.

July 3, 2013 at 11:23 pm |

JD

This Eatocracy List is one of the poorest I've seen assembled to date.
It makes me wonder whether Kate Krader bothers to actually sample the wares of those restaurants she represents to her readers as being The Best? OR are there other considerations in her selections outside of excellent taste?
For instance, I am also a resident of Oakland, CA. Consider this A16 Rockridge in Oakland, CA choice. While the menu ingredients indeed sound interesting, their pizzas are on crusts SO thin that it looks like they slapped pizza sauce onto a cracker. Strikingly absent from this list? The Pizzeria located DIRECTLY across the street from the new A16 place: ZACHARY's Pizza! Zach's Chicago-style deep dish pizza is famous in the Bay Area. When they get busy on Fri/Sat nights, they just take the phone off the hook, figuring if you want it badly enough, you will make the trip and wait in line with the rest of us... Unlike many restaurants on College Ave in Berkeley/Oakland, Zach's has been a mainstay for decades and decades. It is unfair to compare it to other pizza's, b/c the deep dish is so packed w/ tasty ingredients that it's like comparing a choice lasagna with a thin crust slice. There is no comparison. In fact, Zach's used to decorate the interior with all of the Top Pizza awards honoring them over the decades.... How could the reporter have not crossed the street? I was there 2 weeks ago and the line at Zach's was out the door, whereas there were three people across the street at A16. But A16 is on this list anyway? Hmmmm.... Don't take my word for it. YOU be the judge:
http://www.zacharys.com/about.html

July 5, 2013 at 2:13 pm |

JD

A16 appears to be down the street from Zachary's two blocks or so. the one across the street from Zach's is another pizzeria. Sorry for the confusion, but I stand by my comment – if someone were only a couple blocks away from this Bay Area Famous Pizza place, why not check it out? It would have been worthy noting for a number of interesting reason outside of it's excellent pizza: They College Ave store is a Co-op, owned in part by the employees; they fund raise for worthy charities; it is a UC Berkeley college favorite.
Enjoy!

July 5, 2013 at 2:21 pm |

Pete

The pizza with the muscles in the shell on top seems pretty stupid to me since you have to take them off to eat.

July 3, 2013 at 9:09 pm |

Lou

EXACTLY!

July 4, 2013 at 4:54 am |

james

no nj or nyc pizza,,this is garbage.nj/nyc is the mecca for pizza….all others need not apply

July 3, 2013 at 7:53 pm |

Mike

Agreed. Most random pizza joints in NY/NJ beat the top of most areas of the country.

August 13, 2013 at 1:57 pm |

midnitejax

What a pile of dung this article is. There are no good Pizzerias once you cross the Delaware river. The very best pizza comes from the NY City Metro area. To be more accurate, NJ and NY have a lock on the best pies you will ever eat. The farther west you venture, the worse it gets. I would describe their pies as saltine crackers with a dose of Oregano saturated Ketchup, and some kind of plastic wannabe cheese. Then they have the audacity to top that with Pineapple and some sort of mystery meat. Here's the recipe for wannabe pizza...use a large factory made flat bread of your choice, follow a large pig with a serious intestinal problem and wipe it's bottom with the flat bread. Take an empty two liter plastic soda bottle, and melt that over the yummy stuff the pig left you, and you have the pizza served in 48 states.

July 3, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

Mike

You obviously never had pizza hut. They are the best. Number 1 in the world

July 3, 2013 at 7:42 pm |

Lou

They might be the biggest but the are far, far from the best. You must work for them?

July 4, 2013 at 4:56 am |

Clown

Remember the word "Sicily's" try it sometime.

July 3, 2013 at 7:56 pm |

william mcbride

Oh how right you are my brother!!! It all about the water- pH and its acidity. "New York" style pizza is the style best associated with the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast!! But it don't mean that you cant get a good pie on the west coast ......

July 3, 2013 at 11:55 pm |

Ricardo

First of all, it interesting they use the term "best" new pizza places. Like they have tried all the new ones. That being said, I have had many a pizza in New York, and I must say there are some pizza places out west that are just as good as what I have had in New York. One in particular is run by an Italian family that uses a stone, wood fired pizza oven. They make traditional Neapolitan pizzas down to the sauce they import from Italy with San Marzano tomatoes. The thin crust is a little chewy with tons of taste. Great hand made pastas too. The problem out here is you have to go to 100+ of them to find that one awesome pizza place. In New York, people know their pizza and a bad place will probably not last too long.

July 4, 2013 at 1:54 am |

Tom

Come to Chicago sometime. Then you know what pizza is all about. You haven't had a real pizza until you ate at Aurelio's.

July 4, 2013 at 2:31 am |

Tom

You're describing the junk they used to call pizza in Philly. Worst s*it I ever ate in my life.

July 4, 2013 at 2:36 am |

Lisa

Any new Pizza joints in NAZI OCCUPIED SOUTH?

July 3, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Mike

Where is Pizza Hut? The number 1 pizza chain in the world and they don't mention it. What is this world coming to?

July 3, 2013 at 7:13 pm |

Lou

That's because the article is about the BEST pizza around....

July 4, 2013 at 4:59 am |

Clown

Sicily's Anchorage, AK

July 3, 2013 at 7:06 pm |

Mike

I live a few blocks away! I pretty much eat there at least twice a week.

July 3, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

Jdizzle McHammerpants ♫♫

Hmm. Only about 90 minutes away from Pig ate my Pizza. might have to try it.

July 3, 2013 at 2:27 pm |

bravehoratius

i think what everyone can take away from all these comments is that it's not hard to make pizza that lots of people will like. every decent sized city in the country has a pizza joint that lots of people like.

Pizza is pizza. Whether you're some greasy city scum preparing it in your rat infested New York pizzeria or a pretentious Cali health snob in your diner/yoga studio. It's all about ingredients and preparation. If you are dumb enough to believe pizza is only good in one town, you aren't worth the breath.

July 3, 2013 at 1:37 pm |

Sean

and what are you? some midwest bumpkin who gets coastal envy?

July 3, 2013 at 4:27 pm |

karl

I've lived in Nyc and he's right, its a rat infested dirty city and the pizza there is no different than in most places. I travel for work a lot and my fav pizza place is in Chicago but I know of a place in Atl that taste similar its not about where you are but how they prepare the pizza

July 3, 2013 at 5:19 pm |

Mike

I have traveled throughout North America and ate pizza from coast to coast. The best pizza is from the NY metro by a long shot.

August 13, 2013 at 2:00 pm |

midnitejax

you are sadly mistaken

July 3, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

AlpsClimber

You cannot find good pizza west of the Mississippi. Period.

July 3, 2013 at 1:26 pm |

Dave

In that case you cannot find smart people east of the Mississippi.

July 3, 2013 at 2:23 pm |

Mario

Long ago I used to generalize with blanket statements like that too, and since I was raised in Philly and being of Italian descent, it was pretty tough to find a pizza that really stood out in Houston. And then fairly recently I discovered Grimaldi's. As outstanding as anything I'd ever find in Philly or anywhere else.

Actually, I've had REAL pizza in a really little town called Radda in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. It was super large, about 26", and I think it cost the equivalent of about 10 bucks. An outstanding pie.

July 3, 2013 at 2:36 pm |

Harry Baggins

The writes obviously have never been to WNY

July 3, 2013 at 1:03 pm |

A

1) They said NEW pizza places. NY and Chicago's best pizza is already established. That likely contribute to everyone's perception of oversight here.

2) Pizzeria Locale is in Boulder, not Denver (unless they have a new location). It's Naples style pizza. You won't like it unless you actually like the Naples style, which is NOT american.

July 3, 2013 at 12:41 pm |

Doug

The Moose's Tooth and Bear's Tooth Pub (Same Owners) and Grill here in Alaska has some of the best pizza around. Over a thousand customers a day can't be wrong. The Bear Tooth Theatre side you can have pizza and other food delivered to your table as your watching your movie and drinking your beer. http://moosestooth.net/ ; http://beartooththeatre.net/

July 3, 2013 at 12:32 pm |

M

Moose's Tooth is my favorite!

July 3, 2013 at 5:37 pm |

Tom

How do you do this article and nopt include NY or Chicago? Unbelievable! Basphemous! The pictures look horrible. I';m in midtown and I'm going out for some real pizza. Later suckers

July 3, 2013 at 12:24 pm |

Brian

Pretty much if it aint from North Jersey or NY City... it sucks.

July 3, 2013 at 1:13 pm |

Mario

Some people just don't know what TF they're talking about.

July 3, 2013 at 2:38 pm |

midnitejax

I agree.

July 3, 2013 at 7:43 pm |

Chris from Chicago

Look at those pictures. This isn't pizza.

It's contemporary artsy "fashionable" food.

July 3, 2013 at 12:05 pm |

quagmire

Gino's east FOR THE WIN!!!

July 3, 2013 at 12:09 pm |

deb0155

Salerno's on Grand and Ogden Avenue has the best pizza in Chicago!

July 3, 2013 at 12:36 pm |

bluedogboy

Salernos is the best!!!!!!!!!!

July 3, 2013 at 1:17 pm |

quagmire

Noted! :D

July 3, 2013 at 2:33 pm |

Jose

Salerno's garlic pizza is the best I've had in Chicago. Simply the best.

July 3, 2013 at 9:49 pm |

Mike

Perhaps best in Chicago, but hardly the best.....I had it. A simple suburban NJ pizza tops the best in Chicago...often a soupy mess.

August 13, 2013 at 2:05 pm |

Remarque

But isn't it interesting that pizza has existed in this form in Italy since the 19th century, before it came to the US?

July 3, 2013 at 1:23 pm |

NDB

I know I will get blasted, but I LOVE Pizza Hut Veggie Lovers – I think it is the best pizza in town

July 3, 2013 at 11:54 am |

bluedogboy

You obviously know nothing about pizza.

July 3, 2013 at 1:25 pm |

Dave

No pizza for you...ONE YEAR!

July 3, 2013 at 2:25 pm |

JonfromLI

It's funny how so many of the comments here mention the best pizza places they know offer "NY Style" pizza, and hardly anyone, INCLUDING THE ARTICLE'S AUTHOR, even mention a single restaurant in Manhattan. I'll take my $1.00 pizza slice on the corner of 43rd and 3rd over ANY PIZZA SLICE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

Ha! You New Yorkers are priceless. What better way to make a delicious pizza with gourmet toppings than to serve it on paper thin garbage crust. You people are asinine. I'll take a Chicago or Detroit style all day over that NY trash.

July 3, 2013 at 1:28 pm |

Mike

Redneck- the best pizza has NO toppings.

August 13, 2013 at 2:07 pm |

midnitejax

I'm stuck in the midwest, and they eat everything deep fried. Crappy pizza is all you can get west of the Delaware River.

July 3, 2013 at 7:45 pm |

Noah

You lose mega points for not including Pizza Delicious for developing the first authentic NY-Style pizza in Louisiana and quickly becoming THE HOTTEST RESTAURANT IN NEW ORLEANS

July 3, 2013 at 10:51 am |

mistamista

I applaud the off-the-beaten-path shops and the ability to cover them, but if you're going to say "BEST" new pizza shops, you missed the mark quite handily. Satchel's Pizza in Gainesville, Florida is far and away the BEST pizza that I've ever had. ALL fresh ingredients, nothing too exotic, but nothing that you'll get anywhere else either. Made by hand with NOTHING left off to save cost or to "mainstream-line" the pizza for mass consumption. Quite frankly, until someone does a review of their pizza, I will find it hard to accept the term "best" from the food gurus at CNN.

Give them a try. http://www.satchelspizza.com/

July 3, 2013 at 10:30 am |

Dave

It says right on the home page that it has been open since at least 2003. How does that make it a "New" pizza place (read title of article before commenting)

July 3, 2013 at 2:30 pm |

Relwofddott

Just about any place in youngstown ohio would beat out every place listed above...nyc pizza is all hype..chic is a joke...halfway between the 2 it all comes together...cornersburg,wedgewood,st anthony's briar hill,avalon,elmton...there are literally hundreds more to explore...youngstown is pizza city.

July 3, 2013 at 10:07 am |

StigFace

None of these are NY Style, that I know, at least the two in CO.

July 3, 2013 at 10:45 am |

Gladdensnoot

NYC pizaa isn't all hype. If you find the right place, it can't be beat. But no matter if you prefer NY or Chicago style, real pizza does NOT is not topped with clams, leaves, or have a handle filled with "fior di latte".

July 3, 2013 at 10:54 am |

Dave

Please find us the definition of pizza that describes a pie exactly the way you like it only. Some people do not have limitations on their creativity. "If it doesn't have peanut butter and jelly on it, it ain't a sandwich!". Holy Christ.

July 3, 2013 at 2:28 pm |

shamrock26

Twins Pizza in North Providence, R.I. is absolutely the best pizza. I've had pizza from all over this great country and nothing comes close. Caserta's in Providence, R.I. is a close second if you like a little "bite" with your pie. Lombardi's in NYC is a close third.

July 3, 2013 at 9:57 am |

Dean L. Harris

You forgot Z Pizza and Mellow Mushroom here in Arizona. Best Pizza in the world though goes to the North Country Club in Keeseville, New York. I have eaten all kinds of Pizza in all kinds of places but nobody touches that place. Honorable mention goes to Canada who place all "toppings" UNDER the cheese. Try it for a change.

July 3, 2013 at 9:47 am |

Dave

The article says best 'new' pizza joints.

July 3, 2013 at 2:31 pm |

Dean L. Harris

Oh, 1,000 apologies.

July 3, 2013 at 8:04 pm |

Frank Munafo

I live in Colorado. It's a beautiful state, but what passes for pizza here is abysmal. I find it hard to believe two restaurants from metro Denver are on this list. Unfathomable.

That's a putrid excuse for pizza, but at least it's better than Domino's.

July 3, 2013 at 2:41 pm |

BritHawk

This is the most ridiculous article I have ever read on CNN. The author even mentions Snowden as if it has anything to do with pizza. BTW, he could go to Pizza Hut in Hong Kong? Lol.
Seriously, the best pizza is in Sicily. Chicago and NYC tied for second place. California? Last place!

July 3, 2013 at 7:58 am |

BriGuy40

LOL@Denver or California making pizza...Chicago is and shall always be, the BEST pizza around. I'm sorry but I like pizza, not sauce on cardboard

I lived in California for 27 years, but grew up in Chicago. I detest thin, crispy, tasteless pies. Give me a loaded deep dish Chicago style pizza any day! Unfortunately, I live in Florida now and can't find anything but New York style pizza.

July 3, 2013 at 10:12 am |

Mark

Sorry, deep-dish isn't pizza. It's quiche, without the eggs.

July 3, 2013 at 12:21 pm |

Mario

LOL @ Mark – right out loud!

July 3, 2013 at 2:42 pm |

Tim

Hops and Pies in Denver is the best. Mainly for their beer but the food is great too.

July 3, 2013 at 12:51 am |

Lee

Welcome to California, now go home.

July 3, 2013 at 12:30 am |

Paul

OK look, I am 6-3 and weigh 300 lbs. My favorite food is Pizza. I have traveled the world and have eaten pizza on almost every continent. New York, Chicago, Philly– The best pizza (hands down not even close) is a little place in south west Virginia (thats southern Virginia not WVA) in a city called Radford. The name of the place is Sal's. If you have ever eaten there you will agree.

July 2, 2013 at 11:19 pm |

Yankee Jack

Any mom and pop pizza place in Philly or NY can beat a chain hands down. I'll give your suggestion a try next time I'm in Virginia. FYI, to help clear up the confusion, southwest the way you meant it is one word. Cheers.

July 3, 2013 at 12:02 am |

BriGuy40

Not even a mom and pop could beat out California....Chicago pizza maybe, but no offense...cardboard and sauce does nothing for people. No true italian in their right mind uses thin crust for ANYTHING...Keep your NY pizza to yourself....I am sure the makers of TUMS would be quite happy

July 3, 2013 at 2:55 am |

Topaz114

Actually, Neapolitan pizza is usually thin-crusted, as they do in Naples.

July 3, 2013 at 11:29 am |

Carmine

Yeah, Colorado. Because when I think pizza the first place that comes to mind is COLORADO. And no mention of NYC pizza. I'm guessing it's amateur hour here at CNN today. Ridiculous.

July 2, 2013 at 11:19 pm |

Tim

Sorry but I live in Denver and have lived in Chicago and Denver beats them hands down. Don't have to be in NYC or any where special to make pizza. It is about the ingredients. I have been to NYC plenty as well and I don't see much special about their pizza.

July 3, 2013 at 12:54 am |

photogrrl

Yep...there are definitely some great pizza joints here. Recently discovered a placed called MC's Brooklyn Pizzeria in Littleton that is the BOMB in thin crust pizza ;)

July 3, 2013 at 11:44 am |

Lenny

Pizza is dough n cheese. get over yourself.

July 3, 2013 at 2:35 am |

StigFace

Oh yeah, that NY chip on the shoulder... You want real pizza, there is only one place – Europe!

July 3, 2013 at 11:04 am |

dwt

People, take note that this is a "new" places list, and the more general Best Places in the USA list includes many NYC, Boston, and other joints:

http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-pizza-places-in-the-us/2

That said, I have to say that the other list to which I refer is heavily biased toward high-heat Naples pizza styles, which I love, but jeez, do we need to hear about 6 or more of those place in NYC without hearing about some pan pizza places, regular NY-style, more than 2 in Chicago, or 1 in Detroit? Countless variations on high-heat, thin-crust pizzas with this or that topping makes for a thin story. They even mention St. Louis, only to diss the indigenous pizza (the Provel square cut) by informing us instead about a St. Louis pizzeria that makes, guess what, a Naples-style pizza.

July 2, 2013 at 10:55 pm |

martin

Finally, some news I can sink my teeth into.

July 2, 2013 at 10:39 pm |

hal

Portland yes, but it's pizzacato and the pie is the Puttanesca.

July 2, 2013 at 10:04 pm |

Dan

Little place called eubank pizza.
Eubank Ky.. yea I know Ky. Happened upon the place.